This invention relates to fastening systems for furniture, and, more particularly, to an easily assembled, concealed joint system for joining together shelving and other furniture panels and members.
Of the conventionally known systems and apparatus for joining together shelving and other furniture members, two types are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,820, invented by E. J. Ostling, entitled FLEXIBLE JOINT STRUCTURE AND CLIPS THEREFOR and U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,983 invented by Philip Craig Welch and entitled BOOTH CONSTRUCTION. Both of these patents are owned by the same assignee of the present invention.
Generally, the above furniture systems include short, separate recessed areas along the edges of furniture members to be joined together. Individual clips are mounted completely within the separate, recessed areas and engage enlarged heads of screws projecting into recessed areas beyond an opposing surface. In certain instances, for assembly purposes, each of the recessed areas include a lateral opening or "window" adjacent the side of the clip through which the screw head is passed for engagement with the clip.
In some finished furniture assemblies, it is desirable to eliminate such "windows" because provision of adequate covering for such openings is often difficult. Yet, assembly of shelves or other furniture members including such prior-known clips cannot be completed without such lateral openings, especially where the supporting members for the shelf or shelves are spaced at preset distances and cannot be moved apart from one another for insertion of the screw head in the recess.
Another problem encountered with prior known furniture systems of types other than that mentioned above is the skewing of the shelf or other furniture member with respect to its supporting panels during assembly. In instances where the shelf is moved into place between supporting panels in order to engage joint hardware for retention of the shelf, the shelf often pivots or skews with respect to its final position when sufficient force is applied to fully engage the joint hardware. Such pivoting or skewing not only detracts from one's ability to quickly assemble such furniture but can also cause damage to the furniture portions being assembled.
The present invention overcomes the above problems by providing a concealed joint system for furniture allowing assembly of one member between other members spaced at preset distances while skewing or pivoting during assembly is reduced or prevented.